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Dual-mode interaction between quercetin and DNA-damaging drugs in cancer cells.

Year: 2012

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: DNA-damaging drugs constitute standard chemotherapy regimen for advanced colorectal cancer. Here, the interactions between quercetin and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), etoposide, and camptothecin were examined in cancer cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: HCT116 colorectal or PPC1 prostate cancer cells were treated with quercetin and the drugs. Clonogenicity assays, cell cycle profiles, and expressions of p53, p21, BAX, survivin and cyclin B1 proteins were used to examine the effects of the treatments. RESULTS: Quercetin synergistically inhibited the clonogenicity of the wild-type cells, but inhibited the cell cycle effects of all the drugs tested. In p53-null cells, the combination of low dose 5-FU with up to 6 μM quercetin promoted clonogenic survival. Treatment of p53-wild-type cells with 50 μM quercetin reduced drug-induced up-regulation of p53, p21 and BAX. The combination of quercetin and the drugs also reduced the levels of cyclin B1 and survivin proteins. CONCLUSION: While high doses of quercetin synergize with DNA-damaging agents, the effect of drug combination with quercetin is influenced by the effective doses and the p53 status of the cells.

Source: PubMed